At 2 p.m. the phone rang.“Hey, just wanted to let you know I’ll be a little late tonight.” said hubs.“Okay, why?” I asked.“I had an accident. Don’t freak. I’m fine. I knocked over a telephone pole. The truck and trailer are going to need some work. The ambulance came even though I told them I didn’t need them.” said Hubs.My heart is in my throat. “I’m so glad you are okay. Was anyone else hurt?”“No. I moved over so another car could pass and the wheel of the truck was to heavy for wet shoulder and it caved in as I started to drive off. The trailer hit the same spot and fishtailed across the road and knocked down the pole. Anyway I’m waiting for the sheriff so I’ll be late.”

I hang up glad he’s at least going to be coming home.

2:05 the phone rings again.My mom is on the phone crying. Now my mom doesn’t cry. She’s lost 3 sons and a son-in-law she’s the strongest woman I know. If she’s crying the world is about to end.It takes her a moment to get it out. “I didn’t want to call you.” gasp “I had to though. You have to know.”Okay, forget the telephone accident I’m really upset now.“What? What do I have to know?”“Josh called me.” Josh is my youngest son he’s 22.“Josh? Why?”“He didn’t want me to tell you. I told him I had to and he hung up on me.”This is not good. Josh would never do that to his grandmother.“What did he say?”“He said he’s in jail and he needs $2500 to get out. He was arrested for drunk driving.”Now I’m really upset. Josh is working upstate. This can’t be right. He wouldn’t do this sort of thing, drinking driving and calling his grandmother for money something in the world must have happened to cause this insanity. Besides I had texted him and he replied less than two hours earlier.“Mom, it’s okay. I’ll call him and see what’s going on. You did the right thing.”“He’s going to hate me for telling you but I could just take the money to this place and have them send it to him without telling you.”

I call Josh, he doesn’t answer his phone. I leave him a nice mom message. I love you, you need to tell dad and I what is going on so we can help.That wasn’t satisfactory for me so I texted him. “Where are you?”Less than a second later one came back. “Working.”I texted him, “Call me now.”He called and said, “What grandparent died?” (you have to know our history, this is not a crazy question)“None of them, but one of them called and said you called asking for bail money because you are in jail.”“What!!!!!” Silence. “I’m at work. I didn’t call. Hang up I’m calling Grandma right now.”

Turns out there are some really evil people out there messing with older people. Make me very angry that they would put my mom through this. Josh is a good kid and if he were in trouble the last person he would call would be his grandmother.

So those ten minutes were unpleasant but tonight as I write this I’m thankful the story ended with only truck and trailer damage and a traumatized mom.

4 Responses to Ten Minutes that Almost Changed My Life

This happened to my mother-in-law recently. She got a call that my husband’s nephew was arrested in Canada for drug possession. He was sitting in class when the call came. Thankfully, she didn’t lose any money, but this is a very popular scam right now. I’m glad everything was ok with your son and your husband.